​学生 with Disabilities Working Towards A Better Future

Deptford傻的. 这是一场独一无二的招聘会——潜在雇主会接近那些站在展示简历的桌子后面的求职者, 名片, posters and creative marketing giveaways.

南泽西州的罗文学院(前身为威尼斯人注册县的罗文学院)每年的反向招聘会将企业主和社区组织吸引到校园, 为他们提供机会与参加成人过渡中心(ACT)就业优先计划的有发育障碍和其他残疾的年轻人见面和面谈.

“ACT的就业优先与每个学生一起工作，帮助他们识别和突出他们的职业兴趣," stated 就业 Specialist/Supervisor Alice Smith.  “就业第一”通过为他们提供就业机会和指导，帮助他们在职业道路上取得成功，从而实现就业目标. In their final year, 每位ACT学生都有机会参加ACT的顶点项目——反向招聘会."

Finding a job can be challenging for anyone, 但对于一个残疾的年轻人来说，这可能更加困难. The College's ACT program provides academic, 职业和社交技能，帮助学生成为独立和贡献社会的成员. An average of 48 students each year participate in the program, 到目前为止, 40 area businesses are partners in the program. 学生, ages 18 to 24 years old, have the choice of two tracks: Workforce Readiness, offering classes and soft-skill training geared toward employment; and Fundamentals of College, preparation to take college credit courses.

一个月一次, 来自商界的演讲嘉宾向学生们介绍他们的公司, job positions and the journey to becoming an employee. Job coaches meet with the students to assess their strengths and interests, and use the information to identify “job sampling" opportunities. Two hours a week for four weeks, students receive one-on-one guidance, preparing them for a specific job, which they try out on a short-term, 无薪的基础. 每个学生每年都有机会参加两个工作模拟职位. 学生们定期与导师聚在一起，评估他们对职位的满意度，并解决他们可能遇到的困难. 就业优先计划为学生提供简历和工作申请协助以及实践面试，使他们能够过渡到有薪工作机会.  

“在准备这个独特的活动时，我们的学生投入了大量的时间和努力，使这次活动取得了成功. 每个学生都表现出色，获得了无数的职业关系和就业机会,史密斯说. “As the result of the Reverse Job Fair, 有几名学生现在在挣薪水的同时，也成为了对社会有贡献的人."

“This is the most rewarding job,威尼斯人会员注册(RCSJ)威尼斯人注册校区就业教练凯文·埃塞补充道. “就业优先项目的神奇之处在于，你可以成为最终结果的一部分. It can really be emotional sometimes, 看到你的客户找到了一份工作，看到他们实现了带薪工作的目标."

ACT graduate Eric Panetta, employed at Goodwill in Glassboro, enjoys meeting new people and discussing job skills. “我穿着职业装，正在接受电视台的采访. I also liked when people from different businesses interviewed me,帕内塔说, following the Reverse Job Fair in March. “People need to know who I am. I showed them my display board, it had a Hollywood theme."

“我在招聘会上遇到了很多很好的人，这对我找工作很有帮助," added Samantha Marx, a teaching assistant at the Shady Lane Childcare Center.

自2016年ACT首次在威尼斯人注册校区推出就业第一项目以来, area employers have supported the effort. Three years later, many more businesses have joined the fold, appreciating the value in hiring students with disabilities. In addition to Goodwill and the Shady Lane Childcare Center, 瓦瓦, South Jersey Federal Credit Union, 亚马逊, 联, RCSJ, Giofano的, Jefferson Health, 漂亮的五十的, ShopRite Bottinos, Township Produce, 罗文大学幼儿示范中心和县系, including the Mullica Hill and Gibbstown Libraries, County Elections Office, Health Department and Animal Shelter, 参加过工作模拟体验和有薪就业机会吗.

These local employers know what a national survey, 由马萨诸塞大学波士顿社会发展与教育中心开展, 发现有特殊需要的人不仅仅是工作场所的资产, 但是，雇佣多样化的员工也会产生良好的客户意见, regardless of the business sector. 马萨诸塞大学的研究发现，接受调查的消费者中有92%的人更喜欢雇佣残疾工人的公司, with 87 percent specifically preferring to endorse those businesses.

 “Words cannot describe how proud I am of each of them," stated Smith. “ACT students never cease to amaze me. Their determination is an inspiration to us all."

南泽西州罗文学院的ACT就业优先项目是一个为期两年的队列项目，面向新泽西州南部威尼斯人注册校区的个人.

“我们认识到，扩大服务的需求越来越大, and will be looking to bring this program to the 坎伯兰 campus," stated Brigette Satchell, RCSJ's Workforce Development special assistant to the president.

For more information about the Adult Center for Transition, 员工优先计划或作为企业参加逆向招聘会, 访问 RCSJ.edu/Act or call 856-464-5203.  

Rowan College of South Jersey is a comprehensive, two-year regional college serving more than 10,全日制和非全日制学生提供学位和劳动力发展计划, on campuses in 威尼斯人注册 and 坎伯兰 Counties. 威尼斯人会员注册是由中部州威尼斯人会员注册委员会完全认可的.